Since ancient times, men have been the mainstay of Indian society. There is no support for a woman to work outside the house, especially in rural India. Even if they have the right to get a free education and earn a living, all they are expected to do is manage household responsibilities, take care of every individual within the family, and be stuck within the four walls. Still, in the current scenario, more than half of the female population is committed to their household activities.
But a few great stories proposed as exemplars can help those backward ordinary women boost their modern thinking, come out with their own customs by breaking societal manacles, stand up on their own two feet, and do something for themselves. In those examples, one name that has to be mentioned is Rukmani Marko, who took the initiative to become a self-reliant woman after being a typical village spouse.
Rukmani Marko lives in a small town in Madhya Pradesh with her husband and in-laws. She also has a son who is 21 years old. Rukmani Devi owns a grocery store and transports raw materials like vegetables, spices, rice, and dal to a nearby local school for use in preparing midday meals.
Being a member of a low-income family makes it difficult for a housewife to work outside the home. When they want to try, they may be told that this is not for them; earning money is only for men. It didn’t happen elsewhere for Marko, who had to go through a lot of trouble to join this scheme. She not only lived a troubled life, but she also lost the will to face the world.
Raising a joint family on a single income, according to Marko, was the most difficult part of her life. At the time, her husband was a common labourer who worked long agricultural hours. A simple labourer cannot provide for his family while also having an older son with his entire future ahead of him.
Since 2004, Marko has been an active member of Udyogini. She and the other village women bought millet, grains, and crops such as mahua and makka from government cooperatives and sold them in the village market.
Marko joined Ujas, an initiative by Udyogini in collaboration with RANG DE in which women from various villages form a self-help group. By becoming a member of the SHG, she was able to use her first loan as a member of the SHG to establish a kirana dukaan and poultry farm. By doing so, Marko took one step closer to achieving success.
Marko can now meet the needs of the family, allowing her to bring a computer for her son. She has established a common service centre to provide ordinary villagers with services such as online money transfers via KYC and Aadhar, as well as assistance in filling out forms and making photocopies. She also enlisted her son’s help in providing these services. All of this was only possible because of Ujas’ assistance.
Marko had to overcome many thorns on her path to success, though she gives all the credit to Samooh. Samooh expands her income opportunities while also improving herself synergistically. She was elected vice president in 2015 and is currently the president of the self-help group.
Her most significant accomplishment, she stated, is “pakka ghar,” their living quarters. She considers herself fortunate to be able to support her family financially. Every day, she has worked hard to establish herself as a self-sufficient woman.
She has found a new meaning in her life since collaborating with Udyogini; she is learning to live in a new way. She has discovered her voice and her strength. When asked about her first earnings during an interview, her face was glimmering with pride. She claimed that Udyogini gave her faith and that everything that has happened to her since then is solely due to Udyogini.
When Marko became a board member of Ujas, she discussed starting broom-making as a viable business venture; she believes it is beneficial not only to the women but also to the cooperative. They will have the opportunity to profit through distribution and networking.
Marko is a simple housewife who never imagined that one day she would step outside. That woman invests money in her business today, thinking about her future business. Her efforts, hard work, and zeal resulted in her advancement as a successful woman. She plans to start a business making laddoos in the future. She moves forward with positive thinking and a caring heart, hoping to solidify herself and have all her dreams come true.
